1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to the controlling of ill-behaved add-on devices.
2. Background Information
It is axiomatic that "one size does not fit all". The axiom certainly applies to the art of computer systems, as they come in the form of entry level desktop computers for home computing, to large mainframes for numeric intensive computations. Even within a segment of the market, it is not unusual to find various functional features being offered as "add-on" devices, such as video capture devices in the case of personal computers.
Many add-on devices come with optional read only memories (ROMs) having embedded control software stored therein. Typically, the control software of an add-on device would include an initialization task for configuring said add-on device. As a result, the base systems are vulnerable to ill-behaved initialization tasks of add-on devices.
While the add-on device manufacturers have an interest in ensuring that their add-on devices will work properly with the targeted based systems, it is the base system manufacturers who have the most vested interest in ensuring that their systems will work reliably, with or without any number of add-on devices. However, as well appreciated by those skilled in the art, there are literally hundreds of "optional" devices, manufactured by many different vendors, available for add-on to personal computers. Therefore, it is virtually impossible for a system manufacturer to ensure that its systems will work properly with each and every one of these potential add-on devices. Even if we were to assume that it is possible to test and validate a base system with all the existing potential add-on devices, there will always be new add-on devices becoming available after the pre-release validation, in the life span of a system.
Thus, it is desirable to have an approach such that a system manufacturer can be in the driver's chair in preventing any mis-behavior by an add-on device, and thereby in a better position to ensure the overall reliability of the system.